An Oxfordshire mother is urging parents to be vigilant after her 17-year-old son was hospitalised from consuming a full packet of cannabis-infused gummies disguised as Starburst sweets.
The teenager reportedly ate all six sweets after feeling no immediate effects from the first one, unaware that cannabis edibles can take over an hour to kick in. He later developed severe chest pains and was rushed to hospital, where doctors confirmed he had ingested an extremely high dose of THC—the main psychoactive component in cannabis.
“I was terrified,” the mother said. “He had never taken anything like that before. They looked so harmless, like ordinary sweets.”
Researchers say such products are becoming increasingly common in the UK, with some containing dangerously high concentrations of THC—or, in some cases, the synthetic drug “spice.”
Professor Chris Pudney, a biochemist at the University of Bath who works with police forces to analyse cannabis edibles, warned that the dosage in this case was likely “massive.”
“The packaging suggested each sweet contained 68 milligrams of THC,” he said. “That’s an incredibly high amount—far beyond what a casual or first-time user could safely handle.”
He added that illegal edibles are often produced without regulation or accurate labelling. “Every time you use one of these products, you really don’t know what you’re getting,” Pudney said. “In some cases, we’ve found no THC at all—just synthetic cannabinoids like spice, which can be far more dangerous.”
Professor Tom Freeman, a psychologist at the University of Bath and lead author of the UK’s largest cannabis survey, said the sale of such products is an “increasing trend.”
“Manufacturers deliberately design these edibles to mimic popular sweet brands,” he explained. “Young people are a lucrative market for substances like cannabis, nicotine, and alcohol—and these products blur the lines between treats and drugs.”
Thames Valley Police said it recognises “the concern these gummies pose, particularly due to their appeal to younger individuals,” and urged residents to report any suspicious products.
The mother said she hopes sharing her son’s experience will prevent others from making the same mistake. “It could have ended so much worse,” she said. “People need to know these are not just sweets.”
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